Dear friends,
I came to meditation through the yoga door some 25 years ago and loved it from the start. I became a voracious student, read everything I could get my hands on, and listened to many podcasts. At the end of my first year of meditation I began to attend workshops and eventually to go on retreats. I also began a consistent practice at home on my own in the mornings. I’m still doing that, though now it’s expanded to include chanting, prayer, compassion practices and a lengthy sit.
Over those years, I was looking for my Dharma home, my sangha. I tried a few different dharma centers but nothing felt quite like home until NYI. My beginning here was a little bit rocky. I had some trouble feeling connected due to changes in the organization’s leadership at that time. In the last few years, however, NYI has come to be my true Dharma home.
Because I live in New Jersey, travel to the city prevented me from a regular schedule of sits. But in the last few months, I’ve been able to take part in so many programs via Zoom–one of the silver linings of the pandemic! I love the Insight Dialogue Sangha and Bart’s Friday morning workshop. I’m getting to know other teachers and sanghas and I’ve never yet had a negative experience. I find that those of you who are in the workshops with me are thoughtful, honest, and open. You are all willing to take a look at yourself. And in this time of awakening to racial atrocities, New York insight feels like one of the safest places for discussion and learning.
It‘s been important to me to give back in any way that I can to ensure that New York insight remains healthy. I’ve done this in a few ways, from offering dana to teachers to funding programming when I could. I’ve seen that it really gives me a sense of gratitude and connection to know I’m supporting New York Insight and our practice. Let’s work together to keep New York Insight Meditation Center a vibrant Dharma home for all of us. No amount is too small so please consider making a one time donation or joining our Circle of Friends to help sustain our community.
-Laura Rodgers